A few snowfalls have already descended on the region-most notably the blizzard that began blanketing the area on Sunday night-and for companies like McAdam Landscaping, that underscores the wisdom of having already assembled snow and ice management crews.

Scott McAdam Jr., the company's Vice President of Snow and Ice Management, said the company has about 60 pieces of snow-removal equipment. That figure, which includes an increased commitment about a dozen years ago, represents the largest fleet in the Oak Park area, and among the largest in the suburbs overall.

"Our organization is heavily process driven. Snow and ice management isn't limited to the five months between November 1st and April 1st," said McAdam Jr. "It requires a year-round effort and months of planning and preparations to ensure that when the snow does arrive, we are fully prepared."

Over its 40-year history, McAdam leaders-including President Scott McAdam Sr. and Vice President Rob McAdam-have learned not to read too much into the early stages of the snow season. Just as an early accumulation of snowfall has given a false hint of an above-average season, slow starts have been followed by overwhelming levels of snow.

"A few days of sun and temperatures in the 40s or 50s can sometimes lull people into a state of complacency," said McAdam Sr. "But people need to remember this is Illinois and when snow comes, it's often with a vengeance."

Among other considerations, you should confirm that any company you retain for snow and ice management services is insured, in case there is any damage that occurs in the course of work.

"It's essential that anyone representing a residential or commercial enterprise considers the depth of any given snow and ice management provider," said McAdam Sr. "There are plenty of one- and two-truck operations that do their best. But we operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

Clients must also be conscious of new legislation in the state of Illinois. With the passage of the Snow Removal Service Liability Limitation Act in 2016, property owners can no longer transfer liability to a contractor for losses that were not the fault of the contractor.

"This is very important legislation for our industry and even more important for clients to be aware of," said McAdam Jr. "Prior to this Act's passing, a property owner could transfer all liability to the contractor, even if the contractor fulfilled their obligations and were not at fault. With this Act, the client assumes some of the liability for potential losses, so choosing a quality contractor will greatly reduce that liability."

In advance of an impending snow system, the McAdam team notifies clients so that they know what they can reasonably expect in terms of timing, accumulation and deployment plans. Once the timing is right to trigger action, crews are deployed to begin service. Notification usually happens via email and always through the communication preference that a client indicates.

"There's a science behind it," McAdam Jr. said. "Communication with the client and reliability of service are both upper-most in priority. It lets our clients know that we are constantly monitoring the weather, monitoring their property, and ensuring that they are being taken care of. Sometimes we even over-communicate, but that is a good problem to have."

McAdam also taps into its horticultural expertise to ensure that it provides gentler treatment of an ice-melt blend for those areas that need it. In an ever-increasing, chloride-conscious society, being an environmental steward is important for the McAdam team.

"We are very conscious of the environmental impacts of chlorides and have reduced the chloride inputs while still being able to provide our clients with safe pavements," McAdam Jr. said. "De-icing pavements is calibrated to allow the appropriate amount of material with the least amount of environmental impact."

the snow comes, McAdam deploys its crews throughout Cook, DuPage and Will counties. With an emphasis on commercial and industrial clients, McAdam understands the urgency for its clients, which include condo associations, banks, hospitals, medical facilities, malls, hotels, restaurants, retail merchants and a variety of other businesses.

While snow removal can be profitable, it's also highly demanding. Preparations for a given storm can begin hours, if not days, before a weather system's approach.

"It's very difficult because there's no lag time," said McAdam Sr. "With a landscape installation, if it rains today, we show up tomorrow or the next day, and it's still OK. But if it snows today, it needs to be addressed immediately, so the sense of urgency is there. What we've found is we excel at providing that service and meeting that urgency, so the client doesn't have to worry."